Left a Prince Returned a King
by Gemstarzah
Summary: Thranduil left long ago to help fight in the Last Alliance. This is his return home, with the warriors who survived.


Memories played at his mind during the long ride home from the battle. Even though many of the warriors who had marched with them were returning, the survivors were outnumbered three to one by those who would never return. When it was announced that the fighting was over, Isildur - who had made all seem for naught - had withdrawn his own forces back together into one group. They had left the next morning without word.

During the long march home, despite knowing he was now the one who the silvans looked to as a leader, Thranduil had said little. Too many thoughts were in his head, too many darker ones now. The losses of so many warriors, so many of his own people, weighed heavily on his mind and in his heart too.

 _Damn Isildur for not being able to throw that Ring away. He doomed so many by keeping it as he has._

Somehow Sauron's ring had tricked the Edain into thinking it was not all evil. And so, evil was allowed to endure.

Never again, he told himself, would he allow one of his people to become tangled up in dealing with that ring. The men could have it, and sort it out as they wished. It was their problem now. Instead, his mind turned to home and the thought of those who waited there, for the return of their husbands, fathers, sons.

So few of which, would be able to speak with them again.

Thranduil shook his head.

Too many had fallen. But Sauron had taken so much to defeat, they had lost everything in the battle against him.

 _Including my father._

That had been one of the worst parts, knowing that his father would never return to see him again. Never to speak to him or seek his thoughts on matters.

 _Until I reach Valinor, and even then, I won't know whether he has been reborn or not when I do go there._

Thranduil knew he had a promise though to fulfil now. The question had been asked at one point, before they marched, as to what would happen should his adar fall in battle. Who would take his place.

 _"My son will. He knows your ways as well as I do, and I know he is ready to take my place."_

His father's words from that council meeting still rang in his ears. Oropher had seemed confident in him. Thranduil, on the other hand, was not so certain that his father had made the right choice. He did not know if he was ready for such a burden, and he had seen how it had at times weighed on his father's mind. A burden that his father had never been able to escape.

Until now.

 _Ada seemed to think I was ready._

Thranduil hoped that his father had not made a mistake in saying so.

 _Sure I've sometimes led warriors out in the forest, and on the battlefield, but only in more minor skirmishes._ _The more major ones aside from this last one, I've been left on my own in the palace, while adar went to deal with the trouble. He left me in charge, but his advisors did most of the work._

Thranduil frowned to himself. No, that wasn't entirely true. He knew that over time, he had been able to do more and more when it came to looking after the silvans.

 _We will pull through this, and we will survive._

It would take time, yes, for them to recover from their losses. So long as nothing more came up, any major and deadly event, they would be able to recuperate. To be safe, Thranduil would not be extending his reach, through might of arms or otherwise outside the borders of his realm for some time to come.

As they drew within sight of the edge of the Greenwood, Thranduil could feel the eagerness of his warriors to get home. All of them had loved ones who waited for them to return, even he did.

As those few other family members of his were here still, he knew he would be relieved. Especially if she was still at home, waiting for him to return. Thranduil's eyes searched the forest edge, seeing those who dwelt closest to the borders appearing between the trees, their own eyes searching for loved ones.

Nudging his horse forward, he led his warriors into the forest. As they did, he knew they would start to disappear amongst the trees as their various homes were reached. He did not mind if they did. It had been his job to lead them all home after all.

Some of the elves he passed were silent. When they had left first time, he had not led the others out of the forest. That had been his adar. Yes, the warriors returned, or at least some of them did but it was not the same elf leading them back.

Thranduil knew there would be questions asked as to the whereabouts of his father, but he did not want to face those right now. He needed some time to himself to get past his own feelings about the issue.

 _Whether I'll get that on the other hand, is not so likely._

Reaching his own home amongst the trees, he let one of the other elves take his mount to the stables. He headed up the stairs into the flets that were home, a home that seemed far too quiet now that his father wasn't there.

Spotting a familiar face, he called the other ellon's name.

"Tatharion!"

The other ellon turned at once, coming over toward him. Tatharion bowed once he was closer.

"You called, my King?" [Why is he calling him King? Is he aware that Oropher is dead?]

"I don't hear anyone else calling you," Thranduil replied, dryly. "How do things fare while we were gone?"

"Well enough, Sire. Many worried for those who left to go to battle. Though there were complaints made that your elk remained behind when you rode off."

Thranduil knew who those complaints came from. Likely those who were in charge of the stables, and while he understood their irritation that his elk had remained behind, he had thought better of them.

"I trust you tried to dissuade them from thinking that I left Bellgûr behind with good reason, and not out of neglect?"

Thranduil swung down from the saddle on his horse's back, straightening himself to his full height. From all that he saw around him, there was no change to his home, here in the forest. Things seemed the same as ever.

Tatharion inclined his head. "I did indeed. They were most unimpressed that you chose to take a horse, instead of Bellgûr. It was noted that our King rode away on his elk, many who saw that questioned why Bellgûr wasn't a part of the leaving army."

Thranduil nodded.

"In the morning, ensure that those who made those complaints speak to me in the throne room. For now, I need some time alone."

He paused, eyes looking around their home.

"Oh and well done on keeping things in check here. I am most pleased."

Before any comments could be made that his father was nowhere in sight, for he believed the comment about the throne room was hint enough, Thranduil turned and headed towards the telan that he lived on.

He had hardly had much time to sit down, before there was a knock on his door once more.

"Enter!"

As much as he would have liked to just be alone with his thoughts, Thranduil knew he may as well sort out whoever was waiting on the other side, so that he could indeed be alone. His eyes rested on the door now, watching, to see who was coming in. On any other day, the sight of the auburn haired elleth who entered would have made him smile. Not today.

"Meril."

He was however relieved to see her, and he could see that she in turn, was relieved to see him once more. _How can I ever know what it was like for you to wait back here, waiting for word that I lived or had fallen?_ This was why, he reminded himself, that he had hurried home as soon as he could. _So that I did not leave you wondering for too long._

"Thranduil."

She had soon sat down next to him, and he wrapped one arm around her, gently.

"I came back."

She studied him, smiling slightly, though a bit tersely.

"I can see that. You had me worried, Thranduil."

He looked away, not liking the accusation in her voice. He had known this was coming, and were it anyone else, they would have gotten plenty of sarcasm in in reply from him. This elleth on the other hand, had been his friend since Doriath. She had stuck with him through all the troubles they had faced until this last one.

"I had no choice, Meril. You were safer here, believe me. So few have come back, and we grieve for their loss. I am glad you were spared from the horrors that I have had to face over the last few years."

He knew she could not truly understand what it had been like, in Mordor.

"Things will change now that we've returned home once more, believe me… there is much that the Greenwood has lost, that cannot be returned to it."

Merilimes looked at him closely. He knew she was aware that he had lost someone close to him in the fighting.

"He fell didn't he, Thranduil?"

Thranduil sighed.

"Aye, my adar is gone. He could not return with us, even had we wanted to bring him home once more. There were too many dead, and he wasn't exactly in one piece. Our warriors had him burned, as is usual when it comes to the Sindar. He has been taken care of."

He had only explained what happened to the Sindar because she was only part Sindar herself, her grandmother he believed. The rest of Thorevil's family was Silvan.

It was hard knowing that his father wouldn't be there anymore when he needed him. His father had laughed an early attack, using no one other than a group of their own Silvan warriors. Elrond had told him later that day that the High-King of the Noldor had not agreed to Oropher's idea of an early attack to surprise the forces of Mordor. Oropher's attack had removed any chance of surprising Sauron that they were so close to his Black Gates, and they had been attacked as soon as Oropher's warriors had fallen.

"He rushed the gates, in an attack that I later found out had been disagreed upon."

Merilimes stared at him, looking quite shocked by what he had told her now. Thranduil knew it was a lot to take in, that their king was dead indeed.

"Are you alright, Thranduil?"

Thranduil shook his head. Around Merilimes, it was easier to be himself. She did not expect him to always be their king around her. Not when they were here, in a more private place, a place where he knew she belonged with him.

"It has been a very long few years. Every time we gained some ground against Sauron… well, we lost many warriors doing so. To think that all we went through to attempt to take him down once and for all was ruined by a single mortal King."

"What happened? Who caused it all to be for nothing?"

"Isildur. Yes he managed to cut the Ring from Sauron's hand, but when he had the chance to throw it back into the fires of Orodruin… he refused and took it with him. One day his actions might be the downfall of us all, and I bet he doesn't realise what he's done. Sauron will endure through the years now, and he may well return."

Merilimes gave him a gentle hug.

"Not much we can do about that now, do not worry yourself overly much about that now. We will work it out, when the time comes."

Thranduil sighed.

"I hope you will be here with me when that time comes. That is a time that I do not want to spend on my own, considering it will be a very difficult time for everyone. I do know one thing. I will not be allowing our people to end up fighting at those gates again. We've lost far too many people."

Merilimes smiled at him.

"You will do what is needed when the time comes. I am sure that even if I am not here, you will still know what the right thing to do is."

Thranduil shook his head.

"I do not want to think of a time when you are not here, Meril."

It was not the easiest of things to consider at all. He certainly did not want to think of a time when she would not be by his side, when he had just lost his adar.

Merilimes kissed his cheek.

"With him gone, I guess that makes you our King?"

Thranduil nodded.

"If you'll allow it, this makes you my Queen as well."


End file.
